There can be no other insect that repulses and reviles people as the cockroach – not only does their very appearance cause distress, when they have infested your home (usually the kitchen or bathroom), they are even more repulsive… and it is no wonder why when you consider the ill-health and disease they spread!
Cockroaches are not native to the UK; they are more ‘at home’ in hotter countries but survive in the UK by exclusively living in the kitchen or bathroom of domestic and commercial properties. There are around 4 species of cockroach found in the UK, some more apparent than others… however, they all function in a similar way, with treatments similar too.
Did you know…?
… the cockroach has not evolved in anyway at all in the last 250 million years; this is because they have had no need to change in order to carry on reproducing in great numbers!
The Cockroach life cycle
The cockroach has a 4 stage life cycle: egg, larva, pupa and then adult.
The female cockroach lay their eggs within a pod that is attached to them; as more eggs are laid in this pod, it can be seen towards the rear of the cockroach. When this pod is full, the female cockroach lays it. It is a brown pod, hard to touch and is also quite large in comparison to the body of the cockroach.
Within this pod, the eggs continue to develop and when the eggs hatch, the young burst the pod and wriggle free from it. As they do so, they moult, shedding their original skin, appearing as white nymphs. Within hours, this colour darkens.
Strong as soon as they hatch, these nymphs are already strong enough to run about; it will go through another 6 to 10 moults before they reach adulthood and so you may find a lot of this shed skin across the room or around your property.
The health problems
The issue with cockroaches that worries many people and is why any infestation needs to be dealt with quickly and effectively are the perceived health risks. Cockroaches run around all kinds of areas, over organic matter such as pet faeces and then all over worktops, our food, floors etc. This, of course, spreads bacteria which, if we ingest this bacteria can make us very ill.
Cockroach infestations also smell unpleasant; many people describe this as a musty smell which is the smell of the hormones given off by cockroaches to attract others to the area.
Can you deal with Cockroaches yourself?
It is a possibility but be warned, cockroaches are tenacious insects that can infest homes and properties quickly. They also hide in the smallest of places which means that just when you think that you have the infestation sorted, it comes back again!
The best way forward is to call in a professional pest control company simply because they have the right equipment, tools and treatments – and you will also find the whole process a lot less stressful!